


Blue Hawaii

by thegladers



Category: Marvel, Marvel 616, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bonding, Fuck you Howard, Howard Stark's Bad Parenting, M/M, MIT Era, Marvel 616/MCU Crossover, Not Canon Compliant, Rhodey is 18 and Tony is 17, Soft Rhodey, Soft Tony, Unrequited Crush, nothing makes sense
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2019-05-24
Packaged: 2019-07-05 01:51:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15853794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegladers/pseuds/thegladers
Summary: James "Rhodey" Rhodes, 18, and Anthony "Tony" Stark, 17, met at MIT in 1985. From there, they developed a wonderful friendship that turned into something more once the two boys grew up. This is the MIT portion of their story.Updates will be very sporadic and slow; I apologize in advance, I’m still in school and I’m working - it’s hard to find time to write in between my other obligations! I’m trying my hardest though!





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger Warning: mention/implication of child abuse
> 
> Approx. 3213 words

They met at MIT in 1985. Tony was 17 years old, already extremely bright, but absolutely terrified. He hated being away from home, specifically from his mother and Jarvis, but the realization he’d be away from the iron hand of his father… it’s like he could finally breathe. He walked into his dorm room, his shoulders back and chest stuck out, hoping, _praying_ , that the students here wouldn't be complete assholes. He had gotten there early, not wanting to be in the halls as the other students came in. Tony planned on doing what he did throughout high school as the youngest person there; be arrogant and a douchebag, avoiding confrontation as much as possible. That’s when he saw him.

 

Rhodey, who was 18 years old and was about to be what felt like thousands of hours away from his parents for the first time, was pretty damn shocked when he turned around and came face to face with a child. Okay, a teenager, but practically an infant compared to him.

 

“Uhm… are you looking for your parents? Your brother or sister?” Rhodey questioned, his bag under his arm tightly, his face filled with concern. He watched as the kid gave him a look and rolled his eyes before sticking his hand out for a handshake. He took it hesitantly, still unsure of who let an actual fucking gremlin run around the dorm room.

 

“I'm Anthony Stark. I guess I’m your new roommate for this year.” Tony smiled boldly, internally laughing at how quick this guys jaw dropped. For a split second, Tony forget he was at least a foot shorter than him and also 17. He watches the guys face distort from confusion to anger back to confusion and then acceptance. He lets out a little sigh before smiling awkwardly at Tony.

 

“I’m James Rhodes, but everyone calls me Rhodey.”

 

“Well, am I calling you James or Rhodey? Or do I have creative liberty?” Tony responds, shifting his weight as his backpack grows heavy with each moment he stands. Rhodey squints his eyes at Tony, sizing him up.

 

“Depends; What do you wanna call me?”

 

“Oh, there are so many they would probably change every day. Most likely Rhodey, but I do like the ring of Jimbo. It’s spicy.” As soon as it left his mouth, Tony regretted it. Calling his new roommate, who already thought of him as a nuisance, an ironic-yet-weirdly-gross-nickname could go one of two ways. The first way is that Rhodey gets offended and asks that he be given a new roommate or worse, beats the shit out of Tony himself. The second option was a shot in the dark; that he thought it was funny.

 

Rhodey wanted to laugh. This kid had balls, and he had to applaud him for that, but seeing his face go red as soon as he said it made him want to hold out on the congratulations just a minute longer. Rhodey screws his face up in disgust, staring Tony down, who gulps.

 

“Jimbo? Are you actually serious right now, kid?” Tony goes pale and Rhodey instantly feels bad; He knew what it was like getting picked on all too well, and he didn’t want to bring that pain to the kid. He sighs, smiling awkwardly, stuffing his bag under his arm, freeing the other to lift it up in surrender.

 

“Woah, I was just kidding. Call me whatever you want, kid. Can I call you kid?” It had just dawned on Rhodey that he hadn’t even asked him what he wanted to be called, and ‘Anthony’ seemed like an old man name. The kid shrugs, looking around the room, figuring out his answer before looking back and Rhodey and smiling.

 

“You can call me Tony. Only my closest allies call me that. And my dad.”

 

“Allies?”

 

“Allies,” Tony smirks, shifting his weight once more. “Which bed are you using? This thing weighs more than I do.” Rhodey shakes his head; this kid was going to be a handful, he could already tell.

 

“I’m using the left bed, probably. I don’t really care though, you can pick if you’d like.” Tony nods and walks over to the right side of the room, dropping his heavy bag onto the bed. He sits down slowly, grimacing. He and his father had gotten into an argument a couple of days ago over something stupid, and it had gotten physical. It always does. Tony sees Rhodey shoot him a concerned look but he acts as though he didn't.

 

The first day of meeting a possible new friend in this strange place and he already had a look of pity in his pocket. Rhodey looks over his shoulder at Tony, noting his filled backpack and lack of people with him. His mom and dad (and younger sister) were out in the car, grabbing more of Rhodey’s belongings. He smiled despite himself thinking of the lecture Jeanette would receive after they meet the 17-year-old genius who got into MIT.

 

There was a knock at the door and he knew it wasn't his parents; even if the door was closed, which it wasn't, his parents would come right in. He turned around and saw a tall man wearing very expensive clothing, a shorter man in a tux, and a woman in equally expensive clothes. These were obviously Tony’s parents, but who was the other man? Both men were holding another suitcase, and his mother held a present. Rhodey turned towards Tony slightly, seeing him lift his head and flinch a little. He did a double take of the three adults who entered and it all kind of connected in his head. Rhodey felt angry; his hand began to shake as he clenched it. He knew that look. He had seen it at friends houses and at school. He turned towards his bed, trying to busy himself with unpacking his things so he didn't focus on the thought of decking Tony’s father in the face.

 

“Here you go, Tony. Jarvis has the rest of the things from the car. Do you have everything?” Tony forced down the bile that rose up his throat at the sound of Howard's voice. He carefully grabbed the bag from his father, if you could call him that, and looked him in the eye. Howard got mad when Tony would respond and not look his in the eye. Called him weak.

 

“Yes, sir. Thank you.” Tony said, his voice quivering slightly as Howard squinted his eyes at his son. Most fathers would be happy that their son was in MIT at 17 years old, but Howard truly didn't care. Howard nodded, turning on his heel and walking towards the door.

 

“Don’t take too long now, Jarvis. Maria and I have a dinner reservation at 6.” Howard disappears around the corner and Tony instantly relaxes. Jarvis and his mom were saints. His mother shakes her head quickly, smiling large at Tony. She walks over and gives him a big hug, already having tears well up in her eyes. Tony bit the inside of his lip; he really didn't want to cry right now, and if his mom started, he would. She pulls back, holding him at arm's length, studying his face if she wouldn't see him ever again. Tony was so happy that Rhodey wasn’t facing him because he would've died from embarrassment.

 

“Mom, it’s fine. I’m only 3 and a half hours away. An hour by plane.”

 

“Oh, I know, sweetie. I’m just sad I won't be able to see your little face every day.” Tony rolls his eyes, laughing a little bit. No matter how embarrassing his mother was, Tony couldn't stay mad at her. She was the light at the end of the tunnel on multiple occasions for him. He lets her ruffle his hair a little, but eventually pulls out of her grasp. She was still holding the gift in her hand, and he glanced down at it slightly, and she caught it. “Oh! Here's a little going away present. I know you like to read, and this seemed interesting!”

 

Tony rips open the thing brown box, his heart pumping in excitement; his mother had excellent taste when it came to books because they shared their favorites with one another. They had a small closet within their home that was filled with their books because Howard didn't want that garbage out in the open. Only his books passed the test. Tony gasped as he saw the book, putting the box down onto his bed absentmindedly. It was ‘Skeleton Crew’ by Stephen King, their favorite author. It was a collection of 19 short stories, 2 poems, and one novella.

 

“I have one at the house. I thought we could read the book and then talk about our favorites?” His mother looked sad and Tony had to fight the urge to tell her he had changed his mind and that he wanted to go back home with her. The thought of what his father would do to him was too much to bear.

 

“Yeah, and we can do it with new books all the time like we normally do.” His mother nods, biting her lip. She pulls him into another hug and he squeezes her tightly. “I love you, mom. I’ll miss you, but don’t worry about me too much, okay? I’ll be fine. Thank you for the book; I love it.” Maria pulls back, dabbing at her eyes slightly, nodding.

 

“I love you too. If it gets hard here, just call. I will drive here by myself if I have to.” She says, and Tony knows she’s serious. Jarvis clears his throat slightly, and Tony smiles at him.

 

“I’m going to miss you too, Jarvis. Who else is going to fetch me some lemonade?” Jarvis snorts, shaking his head. They both didn’t have to say a lot; they were going to miss each other. Jarvis was one of Tony’s only friends growing up, and he was practically a father. Or, a good one. Tony walks up and hugs Jarvis quickly, not wanting to get caught hugging his butler by the older kids, all of whom were starting to make their way to their dorms. It was actually quite loud out there, but the rooms themselves did well at stifling it.

 

“Introduce us to your roommate, please. We don’t want to look like snobs.” Jarvis mutters into Tony’s ear before pulling back. Tony had almost forgotten that Rhodey was even in the room, but when he turned towards him he was still putting things away. He smiled; Rhodey didn’t want to invade on Tony’s time with his family. That was extremely considerate of him.

 

“Hey, Rhodey.” Rhodey turns around, plastering a smile onto his face after a look of shock. Tony motioned to his mom and then to Jarvis as he spoke, both of whom waved and smiled at Rhodey.

 

“This is my mom, Maria, she’ll probably show up randomly throughout the year to make sure I’m not dead. This is Jarvis he’s our...butler. And the other man in here was Howard, my dad.” Rhodey noticed the way he introduced his mother as his mom and then her name, but his father as Howard and then as his dad. It reignited his hatred for the man even though he had never even spoken to him.

 

“Hi. I’m James Rhodes, everyone except my family calls me Rhodey. It’s really nice to meet you guys.” Rhodey says, coming up and shaking hands with both of them. Tony beamed; that would make a really good impression on them. Internally, he was thanking every God he could think of for not having Howard in the room. He acted nice and charming to everyone he came across, but after they left, the things he would say about anyone of a different color or gender; it was truly disgusting. Tony reckons he would've turned out the same way had it not been for his mother and Jarvis teaching him what was right. He can barely stand to hear his father's voice from all the shit that spews from it.

 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Rhodey. Can you promise to take care of Tony for me?”

 

“Mom!” Rhodey snorts, nodding his head at Maria, who winks at him before turning back to Tony, his jaw open. “Don’t be weird!” He mutters, folding his arms over his chest as Maria gives his arm a squeeze.

 

“I know! I'm sorry, I’m just worried!” Jarvis taps Maria on her shoulder tapping his watch with a sad smile on his face. “We have to go now. Tony, I love you and I’m going to miss you so much, okay? Call me if you need anything,” She turns towards Rhodey, smiling. “That goes for you too; you’re officially part of our family.” She hugs Tony tightly one more time before smiling at Rhodey, turning on her heel, and walking out of the room, Jarvis following behind her. He stops and waves to both boys before disappearing around the corner.

 

“Your mom is really cool,” Rhodey says, and Tony nods, still staring at the door. She really was. Tony goes back to the bed were three bags laid, his entire life laying in front of him. He began unpacking, the room quiet except for the sound of boxes unfolding and drawers opening.

 

“Are your parents still here?” Tony asks, stepping back and surveying his side of the small room. Everything was very cramped, but he had a bed, a desk, a bookshelf, and a drawer. There was a closet on the other side of the room, but he didn’t expect himself to use it. He was not used to sharing a room, let alone having one of this size, but a part of him was excited. He had been lonely as a child, having no other siblings and not many friends (though he couldn't blame any of his fellow students for not befriending him; he was always at least 5 or more years younger than everyone else.)

 

“Yeah, they should be back here soon. They had to go and get more of my stuff.” Rhodey says, his voice muffled. Tony glances over his shoulder and laughs as he sees Rhodey spread over the bed, struggling to put the bed sheet on it. Rhodey crawls off the bed, turning to Tony and smiling, proud of himself. Tony begins laughing even harder, much to the confusion of Rhodey, before he turns back to the bed and groans in frustration; the sheet he had tried so hard to put on had popped off all but one corner.

 

“What the fu-”

 

“James, you better not say what I think you’re about to!” The two boys turn to face the door and there stood a woman, a scowl on her face that Tony could tell was purely for show. Sure enough, the woman breaks into a smile and comes over, dropping another bag down on the floor before enveloping Rhodey into a tight hug, which he gladly takes. Tony watches as two more people, an older man and a younger girl who was about the same age as him but taller, enter, each holding a box. Rhodey’s mother pulls back and turns towards her family. “Start unpacking, please. James probably wants us out of here already.” She places a hand onto her chest, faking sadness, before snorting along with Rhodey.

 

“Mom, you keep acting like that and I’ll agree,” She gasps, hitting him gently on the arm. Tony smiles, sitting down on the bed; Their relationship reminded Tony of his own, and man was he missing his mom. Rhodey motions to Tony. “This is Tony, he’s my roommate. He’s _seventeen_.” Rhodey's mom smiles brightly at Tony, walking up to him and giving his hand a shake.

 

“Nice to meet you, Tony! You’re seventeen and already so accomplished! I’m James’ mom, Roberta. That’s my husband Terrance, and my daughter Jeanette.” The two of them say hello to Tony, the atmosphere bright and happy. You could tell the family loved each other a lot. Tony felt a little jealous.

 

Tony began placing his stuff in the drawers on his side as Rhodey’s family helped him. He wished his mother was here to help, but Howard said no, so she had to listen. Tony didn't have much for decorations. He had the things necessary for his bed, clothes and shoes, a few desk items (including a new desktop that would be getting delivered at the end of the week) and books. A lot of books, actually, and Tony was internally grateful that he had a bookshelf on his side for them. His things took less than half an hour to unpack, as he had decided he would have time (and funds) to buy more as he needed them. Rhodey, on the other hand, was nowhere near finished, even with his family. Tony put his final thing under his bed, standing up and walking over to them.

 

“Do you guys want any help?” Tony’s voice was timid and unsure, and he wasn't even sure that they would hear him, but thankfully Terrance’s father did.

 

“Yeah, as long as you don’t need any help?” Tony shook his head, and Terrance waved him over. “Rhodey brought a lot of stuff and we need to bring some back home with us. We’re trying to sort but if grabby hands over here wasn't slowing us down we could be done by now.” Tony laughs a little, helping them sort. There was a lot of laughter, jokes, and discussion on how Tony got into MIT. He loved it. For once in his life, he felt normal, as if he was simply hanging out with his family and dropping his friend off at college. An hour later, they finished, and Tony assumed Rhodey’s family would leave.

 

“All right, I am starving. Where do you wanna eat at?” The four of them began discussing options and Tony decided that this was where he would exit the conversation. He walked back to his bed, pulling the book his mother had given him off of his shelf, opening it, fighting the urge to cry. He hated crying, especially in front of people. Rhodey notices Tony walk off to sit on his bed and he can see the way his jaw is clenched and how fast he’s blinking, and his heart breaks. He lowers his voice.

 

“Tony’s parents already left, and I’m not totally sure, but I don’t think his dad’s the best, if you know what I mean,” Rhodey’s mother furrows her brows in sadness, wanting to give the kid a hug. “Can we take him out to get food? I kinda feel responsible for him, you know.” His parents agree immediately, but it’s Jeanette who walks over to Tony to ask.

 

“Hey, if you’re not busy, do you wanna come and get food with us? We’ll probably be gone for a few hours, and you can help us decide,” She leans in closer to Tony, noticing how large his smile was. “Plus, that means my parents won't compare me to you for another few hours.” He laughs a little, placing his book down onto his bed, standing up.

 

“I’d love to. Thank you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, this took so long for me to post; Junior year is kicking my ass! I hope you all enjoy this chapter; the next one will be more MIT and bonding centered. 
> 
> TW// implication of child abuse

Tony was packed into the back of the Rhodes family Ford Escort in between Rhodey and Jeanette. The radio was playing some Madonna song that Roberta was practically screaming along to, Terrance doing the backup vocals. Jeanette was focusing on the ‘Simon’ toy in her hand, getting very far into the game before messing up one of the patterns. She sighs loudly, throwing her head back. Rhodey was bobbing his head along to the music, glancing at Tony out of the corner of his eyes to make sure he was alright. 

 

Rhodey knew his family could be a bit much, but that was only because they had never met a stranger. They trusted and loved other people because that’s what they wanted for their self, and most of the time, they received the same. There were those people who still had those prejudices that Rhodey’s parents and he himself at one point, had to deal with. Tony seemed fine, if not a little squished, but he was staring intently at the game Jeanette held in her hands. 

 

“Jeanie, let Tony play on the game for a bit. I wanna see if he’s as smart as he seems.” Rhodey says, snatching the toy from Jeanette who gives him a nasty look before turning slightly towards Tony, waiting for him to start. Tony was a little nervous; he had this game when he was a little younger and he completed it fairly well, but now he had added anxiety; he had to impress people. Which he never thought he would be able to say because let’s be honest, how fucking stupid does that sound?

 

Tony starts playing the game, the levels getting harder and harder to memorize, but Tony does it as best as he can. Eventually, he’s up to the fifteenth level when the car stops and Roberta and Terrance turn around. 

 

“Okay kiddos. Games down. We’re gonna bond with our two boys before they’re off at MIT of all places.” Tony felt his heart flutter; they just referred to him, a random little white boy, as their ‘boy,’ and they seemed to really mean it. As Tony unbuckled himself from the middle seat, he tried to think back to the last time Howard had ever referred to him as his ‘boy.’ He couldn't think of any time if he was being honest. His mother did, plenty of times, but Howard barely looked at Tony when it wasn't for a PR event. 

 

The newly opened restaurant, Olive Garden, was packed. Plenty of college students and their families were here for one last meal before school started next week. The hostess greeted them and brought them to a booth near one of the large windows, letting them know their waiter will be with them in just a moment. Tony starts looking at the menu, immediately going to the cheapest options. He didn't want to go all out considering he had just met these people and they were already being so kind to him. They were showing him an amount of kindness he had never been shown before. 

 

“Tony, go ahead and order whatever you’d like, alright? You must be starving!” Roberta says, flipping through her menu but sneakily catching Tony’s eye. He gives her a thankful smile, the guilt inside his mind going away slightly. They all had some small talk, Rhodey and Tony discussing their schedules for the new year. 

 

“Are you nervous, Tony? You’re the youngest person in MIT history! I mean, that’s amazing, but are you worried about anything?” Terrance asks, furrowing his eyebrows. Before Tony could open his mouth, the waiter, a tall guy in his mid 20’s in a white shirt and black slacks, came over to them, a notepad in his hand. He flashes a smile at everyone at the table, holding his glance on Tony a moment longer, before turning to Terrance and Roberta. 

 

“Hey guys, My names Caleb and I’ll be your waiter for the evening! Can I get you started with some drinks?” He flashes them a smile practically, blinding Tony. Tony turned towards the menu, feeling the heat crawling up his neck. Why was this stranger, albeit handsome stranger, having such an effect on Tony? Tony thought a lot of people were good looking; he was surrounded by the standard of beauty almost every day. He remembers back a few hours when he saw Rhodey and how he was almost speechless, and he sinks further down in his seat. 

 

“And for you?” Tony’s head whips up, his eyes wide as he makes eye contact with Caleb who gave him a patient smile, his pen ready to write. He could feel everyone else's eyes on him so thinking quickly, he turned back to the menu and said the first meal he saw. 

 

“I’ll, uhm, have the burger and fries. I guess…” Tony says, closing his menu. Rhodey snorted. 

 

“What  _ drink _ do you want, T?” Tony closes his eyes in embarrassment. 

 

“A water is fine. Sorry, I guess I’m just hungry.” Tony jokes, thankfully getting a laugh from everyone, including Caleb. Caleb walks off with their drink order and Tony sighs; of course, he had to embarrass himself. Jeanette stifles a yawn, shrugging at Tony as he glances at her. 

 

“So, back to my question, Tony; you nervous about anything?” Tony meets Terrance’s kind eyes and relaxes. 

 

“Kinda. I mean, I had to do the exact same thing in High School since I was the youngest person there too. I guess I’m worried about how the professors are going to treat me. I don’t want them to go easy on me because I’m younger.” Tony watches Terrance’s face as he takes in what he said. 

 

“Hey, sweetie,” Terrance turns to Roberta who was discussing some tv show with Rhodey and Jeanette. “Can you take the kids to the bathroom to wash up? I’ll take Tony up there in a second I just need to finish up talking with him.” Tony immediately got nervous. What did Terrance want to talk to him about? Tony tried to focus on his breathing as Roberta, Rhodey, and Jeanette get out of the booth and walk towards the back of the restaurant to the bathroom. 

 

“Tony, I’m going to ask you a question, and I need you to be honest with me, okay? I understand if you don’t want to answer, but I hope you will.” Tony nods slowly, unable to meet his eyes. He fiddles his thumbs together as he tries to fight the panic attack that he can feel coming up. 

 

_ “Tony!” Howard roared from outside in the hallway. Tony’s head snapped up immediately towards his bedroom door, curled up on his bed, a book in hand. His heart began to beat rapidly, each beat mimicking one of Howard's footsteps towards him. He had no idea what he had done now, but whatever it was Howard was obviously not okay with it.  _

 

_ The door slams open, the sound of splintering wood causing Tony to jump. He stared at Howard who stood in his bedroom door seething. Tony could see his mother stood behind Howard and reach out to touch him on his arm, only to watch as Howard shoved her off.  _

 

_ “No, Maria! He needs to learn his fucking lesson!”  _

 

“Tony? Are you okay?” Tony comes back to the present, the tears in his eyes falling silently. He wipes at them quickly, trying to avoid Terrance’s eyes but fails. He clears his throat. 

 

“Sorry, I’m okay.” 

 

“No, you’re not. And that’s okay. I’m not gonna make you talk to my son, but I have a feeling I know what you might be going through and feeling. I grew up in a house like yours with a family like yours. I know its hard, and the slightest thing can set you off and make me go back to what it felt like to be there. But as long as I am alive I can promise you that you have a place to stay and go to. And if you ever need me too, I will kick your father’s ass, regardless of his status or who he is. Okay? If you want to talk, I’m right here. I’ll even tell James to give you mine and Roberta's numbers so you can call us whenever you need to.” 

 

At this point, Tony was letting the tears fall down his face without embarrassment. Terrance had shown him more kindness in three minutes then Howard had shown him in 16 years. Tony watches as Terrance gets out of his booth and slides in next to Tony, wrapping his arms around him and holding him. Tony shoves his face into his chest, silently sobbing. He knew he needed to stop crying, to get himself together. The small voice in the back of his head was telling him he was weak and a crybaby, but for once, he ignored it. With Terrance whispering to him that everything would be okay, how could he?

 

“Thank you. So much.” Tony whispers hoarsely, pulling back and wiping his face with the napkin. Terrance pats him on the back, waiting for Tony to calm down before moving back across the table. As soon as he leans back and smiles at Tony, Roberta, Rhodey, and Jeanette come back. Rhodey sits in the middle this time, sliding in next to Tony and nudging him slightly. 

 

“You alright, Tony?” Rhodey asks, his eyes filled with concern. He can see how puffy and red Tony’s face is and he knew he had been crying but he seemed okay. Relaxed. Tony nodded at him and gave him a comforting smile.

 

“I’m fine, Jimbo. Thank you, really.” 

 

The waiter comes over, handing each person their drink. He takes the pad of paper out from under his arm. 

 

“What would you all like to eat?” He turns to Tony and smiles. “I already have yours down; the burger and fries, right?” Tony nods, still embarrassed from a few moments ago. Rhodey takes the menu from him after ordering himself, giving them to Jeanette to hand to Caleb. 

 

The rest of the evening is filled with laughter. Tony has certain moments of realization that he never had anything remotely close to this with his own family. The Rhodes stayed together and supported one another, took in the people who needed it most and didn’t treat them as a burden. They were something special.

 

A few hours later, long after Rhodey and he had been dropped off back at MIT and had settled into their beds, the only light and sound coming from under the bedroom door, Tony tried to find the words to thank Rhodey. Rhodey could have reacted very differently, and because he didn't. Tony wanted to say so many things, but none of them would come out. He could hear Rhodey’s breathing, which normally would have bothered him, but instead, he was relaxed. He closes his eyes, trying to match his breath to Rhodey’s.

 

“Hey, Jimbo?” 

 

“Hmm?” Rhodey had been half asleep, but he had always been a light sleeper, so hearing Tony speak didn’t cause him too much harm. 

 

“I wanted to thank you again. You and your family treated me with a kindness I haven't received before in my entire life. You could have acted as if I wasn’t there, but you didn’t. I don’t know if you realize it, but you helped me a lot today. It means more than you can imagine.” 


	3. Chapter 3

The next few days were a whirlwind. Both Tony and Rhodey had gotten to MIT a few days before the first day of classes, so in turn, they had a few days to relax and get accustomed to both the campus and each other. The campus was large, spanning over 70 plus buildings, but the few classes Tony had were near their dorm building. On their floor, there were 11 other rooms, 22 more students. There were five floors, so 120 students altogether. 

 

Getting used to all of the noise was one thing, but to be surrounded by 119 other students really put a damper on Tony’s mood, considering he had been around 3 grown adults at the most for 16 years now. Tony could tell Rhodey was getting annoyed with him, too, though he wasn’t obvious about it. Tony was anxious, constantly pacing in his room, tapping his fingers onto his desk, biting his nails, talking a LOT more than he normally did. He couldn’t put his finger on what exactly was making him so nervous, because there were a shit ton of things that were.

 

He was worried about how his classmates were going to treat him, how his teachers would treat him, how hard the workload was going to be. Everything else Tony chalked up to being homesick. Well, homesick wasn’t the right word. Of course, he missed a few things about home; his mother, Jarvis, his own room and bathroom. God, what he would do for a moment of silence and his own toilet to piss in. 

 

Rhodey, on the other hand, was having a grand time. He was used to the hustle and bustle of the dorm, having lived in a small 3 bedroom apartment with his family until he left, and he was extremely good at blocking out the noise and other people. It was a little tricky with Tony, though. He wasn't used to having a small kid constantly be pacing his bedroom, and he would be lying if he didn't say that it was driving him crazy. Rhodey was currently stretched out on his bed, arm over his eyes, trying to listen to the record on Tony’s record player. Surprisingly, Tony was  _ really _ into Elvis. 

 

The hardwood floor was loud normally, and Tony and Rhodey could hear the people above them moving their furniture. Rhodey could also hear the unmistakable sound of Tony getting up from his creaky, old bed, and start to pace. Rhodey clenches his jaw; he could NOT blow up on the 17-year-old kid that his mom and dad (and Jeanie) practically adopted. But good lord, if Tony sighs and paces at two am one more time, he was going to lose it. He moves his arm off of his eyes, turning his head to look at Tony. 

 

He had his arms behind him, his lip in his mouth. He was staring at the floor, his eyes practically glazed over. Rhodey turns over onto his side, leaning his head into his hand. The record was playing low across the room, but he could just make out the sultry voice of Elvis, and despite Tony’s anxious energy, it was a pretty relaxing atmosphere. Classes officially started in two days, and tomorrow was freshman orientation, where they would be able to join clubs, walk the campus with some guides, and ask any questions they had about school. Rhodey wasn’t 100% sure, but he had overheard some kids in the communal bathroom talking about how a few freshman teachers would be in their rooms meeting students. He hoped that was the case. 

 

“Hey, kid, are you okay?” Rhodey knew it was a dumb question; of course, he wasn’t okay. He wasn’t very good at talking about feelings, but he knew Tony needed an outlet because he sure as hell wasn’t going to get one at home. Not with his father. Tony stops pacing almost immediately, looking up at Rhodey with a blank stare. It’s almost as if he was so lost in thought he didn’t realize he had been pacing. Again. 

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m...I’m okay. Thanks.” He mutters, his face flushing, embarrassed. He sits down on his bed, kicking his shoes off and pushing them underneath. Rhodey sighs, sitting up. 

 

“No, you’re not. Kid, you’ve been pacing the room for almost a week now, and you keep talking to yourself. Somethings bothering you; let's talk.”

 

“God, Rhodey, I’m fine! Just stop!” Tony spits, a nasty look on his face. Rhodey’s eyebrows shoot up and he can feel his blood begin to boil. He always had a hard time controlling his anger, but he didn’t WANT to yell at Tony. 

 

“Hey! I was just trying to be nice to you because you’ve been annoying the shit out of me all week, T. If nothing is wrong with you then stop fucking pacing, tapping, muttering okay?! Damn,” Rhodey says, standing up and walking towards the door where his shoes were. He slipped them on, snatching his jacket from off the door, and began to walk out. But something stopped him. 

 

He turns around, looking straight at Tony, and his heart hurts. Tony was in the same position he had been in when he sat down, but his hands were at his sides, gripping the edge of the bed. His face was turned down, and Rhodey could see that his eyes were shut tightly, breathing hard. He sighs, closing the door and throwing his jacket back onto his bed. He walks over to Tony, kneeling in front of him. 

 

“Tony… Tony, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by that, I’m just stressed because of school. Look, you’re basically like my little brother now - I want to help you but I can’t do that if you don’t talk to me,” Tony nods, his eyes still closed, but his breathing was starting to get under control. “Does this have to do with your dad?” Rhodey tried to phrase it as gently as he could but Tony still flinched. He sucked in a deep breath and opened his eyes, the tears welling in them almost instantly. He nods. “Talk to me.” 

 

Tony took a slow, deep breath. He had talked to his father on the phone a few days ago and it had him feeling worse than normal. For some reason, he had assumed being away at school would mean being away from Howard, but for some reason, he had a bigger impact on Tony now than he did while he was home. 

 

“My mother and I had a conversation on the phone Wednesday, and it put me in a really good mood. You know, she really helped calm my fears about classes starting soon, but… my dad wanted to talk to me, and he basically tore down all the confidence I had built up.” Tony began talking softly, his skin crawling as he thought of the conversation with Howard. His voice sent chills down Tony’s spine over the phone, putting him on edge. Rhodey nods, moving a little to sit on the ground in front of Tony instead of on his knees as he had been. He just wanted Tony to talk everything out. 

 

“He asked how I was doing and if I had everything for the semester, and I said yes, and then he asked what my mom and I were talking about. He didn’t really like when I would talk about my emotions, especially with my mom; he called me weak. But if he found out I was lying he was going to hit my mom and I wouldn’t put it past him to come up here to do the same to me,” Tony glances at Rhodey quickly, testing the waters. He knew both Rhodey and his family knew of Howard's abuse, but he had never really talked about it to them. 

 

“He started pestering me and I kept trying to give him a lame excuse but he wouldn't buy it, so I told him what we had talked about, and he got really silent… and then he just started to yell at me? And it wasn’t a scream, like when I was at home, it was a slight change in the sound of his voice and everything he said was worse than when he’d punch me. I don’t know…” 

 

“What did he say?” Rhodey asks quietly, his voice thick. He hates Howard. He hates him with every fiber of his being and if he had walked into the room at that exact moment, Rhodey knew he would probably be going to jail for murder. Tony sniffled slightly, wiping at his face, trying to get rid of the tears. 

 

“I don’t remember exactly,” That was a lie. Every word of Howard's rant had been playing through his head since the moment Howard hung up. “But it was something along the lines of ‘why the fuck are you discussing that ‘homo’ stuff with your mother?’ and ‘I will fly over there and beat the shit out of you if I find out you do anything like that again,’ and ‘your mother is going to regret this.’ He just kept going on and on about how terrible I am and how if I flunk a class he’s going to beat me so bad I won't be able to sit down for a month. And then he hung up. And I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.”

 

For a moment, it was silent. The only sound in the room was the Elvis record that was playing, and even that was beginning to irk Tony. He was horrified; he just wanted Rhodey to say something,  _ anything _ , and then the two of them could act as if this had never happened. But he knew deep down Rhodey wouldn’t let it go. 

 

“Tony, look at me. Please.” The softness in his voice took Tony by surprise. He was so used to being yelled at that the thought of Rhodey reacting kindly to him was something he didn’t expect. He looks up slowly, making eye contact with Rhodey, who was looking up at him from the floor with the kindest possible look he could muster. 

 

“Your dad? He’s an asshole. You talking about your feelings and why you’re nervous isn’t ‘homo shit,’ and it doesn't make you any less of a man. My dad always told me that being in tune with your emotions and being able to talk about them is what makes you a real man. Your dad isn't one. It’s not fair that you worry yourself sick about what he thinks of you and what he might do to you; as long as you’re living here with me, I swear to God, I won’t let him lay a hand on you.” 

 

Tony nods, smiling. The nasty, twisted knot in his stomach had begun to ease up, being taken over by something else. He couldn't put his finger on it, but whatever it was, it made Tony feel good. Soft. Calm. The complete opposite of how his father had made him feel. 

 

It was weird. The conversation Tony and Howard had only three days ago had left Tony with the worst feeling in the pit of his stomach and had made him throw up from anxiety, but a simple conversation with Rhodey had instantly expelled that. Rhodey pats Tony on his knee, squeezing it gently. 

 

“Come on, let’s go get some food. We can talk about what we want to do for orientation tomorrow.” Tony nods, standing up, sending a look at Rhodey over his shoulder. He smiles softly, the corners of his mouth pulling up lightly. He wasn’t even sure why he was smiling, but he wasn’t mad about it. It was actually the opposite. Tony slips his shoes on once again, grabbing his jacket off his bed, following behind Rhodey. They began walking down the hallway, Rhodey saying hi and nodding towards a few students, but Tony kept to the side, his head down. 

 

“T, I’m sorry for yelling at you back there. I… I have a hard time with my anger and trust me, I’m working on it, but it’s still not an excuse. I don’t wanna blow up on you like that again; You forgive me?” Rhodey asks, slowing down slightly to match his steps with Tony, who was considerably shorter than him. Tony looks up, his heart fluttering for a split second when he sees the way Rhodey is smiling down at him. 

 

“Of course, Jimbo. I couldn’t stay mad at you.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So sorry about the lack of updates recently, I can’t guarantee that this one will be updated more frequently but I will try my hardest! Let me know what you guys think! 
> 
> (I changed Tony’s age from 16 to 17 to fit the story more)

The dining hall was filled to the brim. Tony and Rhodey walked through the dense crowd, Tony practically holding onto Rhodey’s jacket as they made their way to the lunch line. They go through the line in silence, filling up their plates before paying and turning towards the cafeteria. Rhodey spots an empty table and walks towards it quickly, Tony trailing behind in awe. It was completely foreign to Tony to see someone so confident in their everyday daily life like Rhodey seemed. He had his head held high, a small smile plastered on his face, one hand shoved in his jean pocket and the other holding his lunch tray. He was practically glowing. 

The two boys sit down across from each other at the empty table. The lunchroom was too loud to make conversation without screaming and Tony decided he didn’t feel like shouting, though Rhodey had other plans. He began eating his french fries, leaning back in his chair, staring at Tony for a moment. 

Tony noticed that about Rhodey; he stared at Tony A LOT. Tony caught him doing it on multiple occasions, mainly right before he began to talk to him. Tony raises an eyebrow at Rhodey, flushing. He mentally rolls his eyes at himself; he needed to stop letting Rhodey have such an effect on him?

“Are there any clubs you want to join when we walk around tomorrow, T?” 

“I don’t know if I’m even going to that thing, Jimbo.” 

Tony chuckles as Rhodeys’ eyes widen. Rhodey was...intense when it came to school. Rhodey was already making friends with their dorm mates, talking with people about their classes and how MIT is treating them so far. He enjoyed being around people and talking with others. something Tony couldn’t really relate too, though more people were much nicer to him now that they knew he was friends with Rhodey. 

“What do you mean you’re not going to freshman orientation? The whole point of it is that us freshman get together to not be complete shut-ins! Which, no offense kid, you need help with,” Tony puts on a shocked face, offended. Rhodey rolls his eyes before continuing. “You haven’t left the room without me since we’ve arrived unless you’re going to take a shit! Do you even know the names of the people next door?” 

Tony pondered the question for a moment. The two kids next door were coming to mind, though very vaguely. One of them had bright red hair and was covered in freckles. Tony remembered him because of the one time he accidentally walked into the communal bathroom (something Tony was not, and probably never would be, used to) after he had finished showering and was standing in front of the mirror, wrapped in a towel, shaving. Tony immediately left and had to go ‘cool down’ in his room, face down on the bed. The other one reminded Tony of his father as a younger kid, so he steered clear of him. 

“Okay, maybe I don’t know their names, but I’m sure you don’t either!”

“David Miller is the redhead, he's from Fairhope, Alabama and he was the top student of his entire class. He’s 17 and is extremely homesick. The one with the glasses is Adam Smith, 18 from Detroit, Michigan. He’s quiet but he loves watching movies and analyzing them.” Rhodey raises an eyebrow and crunches on a fry while Tony stares at him in disbelief. Okay, so maybe he wasn’t the most social person ever, and he didn’t know many peoples names, but he didn't see why that was such a bad thing. He didn’t need to make new friends, he needed to make sure he passed all of his classes. 

“So what? I don’t need to make friends, Jimbo, I have you,” Tony notices the expression on Rhodey’s face and sighs. “Fine. I’ll go to the stupid freshman orientation with you and I’ll try to make some friends. You’re lucky I live with you.” Tony smiles despite himself; he never had many friends growing up, and now he had one who wanted him to actively look for more. He always thought he was content in being by himself, but after spending time with Rhodey and his family, maybe he was open to a bit more human interaction. 

“David and Adam actually invited us to the movies tonight; you’re coming.”

“What movie are we seeing?” 

“I don’t know, I think it’s called ‘The Return of the Living Dead,’” Tony’s eyes widen in excitement, much to the amusement of Rhodey. “I’m guessing you know that movie?” 

“Know it? I’ve been waiting for it to come out all month! We’re seeing it tonight?” Tony throws his hand into the air as Tony nods. The two finish their meal quickly, walking back to their dorm room. Tony takes a peek inside Adam and David’s room as he passes, seeing David on his bed, his walkman laying on his chest, and Adam at his desk hunched over. Tony and Rhodey walk into their room, leaving their door open as they begin to get ready for tonight. 

“What do you even wear to the movies?” Tony mutters under his breath, staring at his wardrobe. It was all expensive dress-up clothes; nothing like what Rhodey had on. Rhodey had good fashion sense; he was wearing a pair of black slacks, loafers, and a blue sweater. He looked great. Tony turns his head at Rhodey and back to his wardrobe. He didn’t know why he was so nervous; he was just going to the movies. 

“Wear what you have on, T, except change your shoes, they're too squeaky,” Rhodey says, flopping back onto his bed. He could sense the anxiety coming from Tony without opening his eyes. “You’ll be fine, Tony. I promise.” Tony kicks off his shoes and bends down to grab another pair from under his bed when a knock came from the door jamb. Tony looks over and is almost knocked to the ground by the sight in front of him. 

David was leaning against the door frame in nothing except blue jeans and a wife beater. He was clutching his walkman in his right hand, the headphones wrapped around his neck. Tony’s eyes immediately moved towards Davids arms which were surprisingly tanned. And holy shit was David ripped. Tony isn't sure how he didn’t notice that the time in the bathroom but he was glad he saw it now. 

“Yo, Adam and I are ready to go if you guys are. You’re coming, right Tony?” David asks, his southern accent poking through. He made eye contact with Tony, smiling and Tony could feel his heartbeat pick up speed and his palms begin to sweat. He nods his head, swallowing hard, trying to force a smile at David so he doesn’t seem completely stupid. “Okay, sweet. Knock on our door when y'all are ready.” He replies, turning and walking away. Tony glances at Rhodey who still had his back to him and lets out the breath he was holding as he slips his shoes on, closing his eyes. 

Tony knew he was different ever since he was a kid, but it wasn’t until he and Scotty had grown close. Howard had been away for weeks at a time that summer and Tony practically had free reign and he decided he would make some friends. Scotty was his next door neighbor, and he reminded Tony of a young Clint Eastwood, but he wasn’t as tough as Clint. He was kinder, sweeter. Tony hadn’t realized his affection for the boy went past friends until the day they kissed. Tony can remember it clearly; it was the day after Scotty’s 16 birthday, which came a few days after Tony’s. They were sat on the edge of Scotty’s pool sunbathing, their legs dipped into the cool water when Scotty had mentioned something about Tony being cute. Tony thought he was joking, as they always were, and told Scotty if he liked him so much to just kiss him. But this time Scotty did. 

Tony didn’t know what to do so he sat there and let Scotty kiss him quickly. Scotty pulled away, his entire face bright red, and immediately jumped into the pool. Tony leaned his head back onto the ground and stared into the sun, smiling. Scotty had swum up to him and tapped him on the foot, resting his arms and head out of the pool. 

“Sorry.” 

“Don’t apologize. It was okay,” Tony replied, sliding closer to the edge of the pool and staring down at Scotty. It was the first time he had noticed just how nice his hazel eyes were. “More than okay.” Tony laid his hand onto Scotty’s and smiled nervously, hoping the kiss wasn’t some cruel prank Scotty had been playing on him. Scotty smiles and grabs a hold of Tony’s hand, yanking him into the pool. That summer had been one of the best, and for the next two months, the two of them were practically bound by the hip unless Howard had come home. When that was the case, Tony would wait until after Howard had gone to bed to sneak out to his patio and climb down, meeting Scotty by the tree in his backyard. They would stay there for hours, sitting on the ground next to each other and just talk. 

Tony jumps as Rhodey taps him on his shoulder, bringing him back to the present. He turns towards Rhodey who raised an eyebrow as he exits the room, Tony trailing behind him. He grabbed his jacket right as he left, closing the door after making sure he had his room key and his wallet before walking a few feet towards Adam and Davids room who were leaving as well. Rhodey, Adam, and David looked like typical college freshman while Tony looked like one of their younger brothers following along. Tony was about to turn 17 in a few weeks while Rhodey had just turned 18 a week and a half ago, yet they looked four years apart. Tony chalked it up to Rhodeys height - both Terrance and Roberta were taller than average which caused their two kids to tower over everyone. 

“You guys ready? My friend watched this back home and said it was amazingly stupid! I can't wait to watch it,” Adam says, pushing his glasses back up his nose. Looking at him up close and actually hearing him, Tony decided that he was nothing like his father. “Oh, are any of you talkers? I know David is and I told him that he had to sit away from me. I want to focus on the movie.” The four of them begin walking down the hall and David turns toward Tony, whirling his finger around the side of his head as Adam continues to ramble on about the cinematography of the first film, or whatever. 

Tony snorts and trails behind everyone as they make their way downstairs, hailing a cab, which was pretty difficult considering it was the Saturday before classes started at MIT. They eventually got a cab and the four of them squished in as tight as they could before David got the bright idea to have someone sit in the front seat of the cab, much to the amusement of the cab driver. Tony stayed in the back while David went up front and the rest of the drive was filled with jokes and discussion with the old cab driver, who Tony tipped very well for dealing with their antics. 

Outside of the movie theater, the four guys collect themselves before walking in. It was surprisingly packed with families and kids their age. 

“Four tickets for ‘Return of the Living Dead’ please,” Rhodey asks the ticket lady, a short haired blonde girl around their age, who smiles sweetly at him. He slips her $15 and leans closer, saying something Tony could hear but could see the effect it had on her. She blushes and before giving him back his receipt and his change, she writes her name and number down. Rhodey pockets it quickly, winking at her. She gives him one last smile before turning to the next group of people behind us. Tony walks up and slips his hand into Rhodeys pocket, jumping away as Rhodey reaches for it. 

“Carol, eh? Rhodey, my man!” David says, slapping him on his back. 

“Knock it off, guys. She was cute, that’s all,” Rhodey puts his head down as he grabs the paper back from Adam and slips it deep into his jacket pocket. They go to the concession stand and buy some popcorn and soda except for David who shakes his head. 

“Not hungry. Plus, Coke tastes like shit now.” Tony was about to disagree with him but after taking a small sip of the drink he changed his mind. 

“Alright y'all, let’s go get scared.”


	5. Chapter 5

People poured out of the movie theater, the energy buzzing with excitement. Tony, Rhodey, David, and Adam wait in the lobby for a moment, hoping the foot traffic dies down a little bit before they go home. Tony was rejuvenated; he forgot how much he loved horror movies. He hadn’t gone to the movie theater - an actual, real-life movie theater since he and Scotty had gone to see ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street.’ 

This movie was fun but Tony hadn’t been paying that much attention; He had been seated in the middle of David and Rhodey, and when David would lean over to talk to him or to make a smart comment about the movie, he could feel his heart begin to race and his face heat up. Why this red-head, Alabama raised kid had an effect on him, he had no idea. 

“T, what did you think? I know you were excited about the movie.” Tony feels Rhodey’s arms wrap around his shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts towards the doors. Tony feels that familiar flip of his stomach, pushing the feeling away. 

“I liked it - it was campy and stupid, exactly my style.” 

“Personally,” David said, stepping outside of the theater and holding the door for everyone. “I think it sucked! It was confusing as hell!” David’s accent poked through on the word ‘hell’,’ sounding more like ‘heel.’ David flags a taxi down as Adam begins arguing with him. 

“Sucked?! It was great! You only thought it was confusing because you were too busy talking to Tony!” Tony flushes a little, turning his head down towards the sidewalk as the cab pulls up next to them. He hears Rhodey laugh and smiles. “Good thing Tony can actually focus on multiple things at once!” 

The four kids enter the cab and Tony stops David from sitting in the front. “You sat up in the front on the way here - I’ll sit up there.” David lets out a soft laugh, pushing Tony gently towards the back seat. Tony flushes red realizing that David had put his hand on his chest and had smiled at him wide enough for Tony to see the chipped front tooth he had. 

“That’s okay, Tones - can I call you Tones? Anyways, if I sit back there with Adam he’ll try to talk with me ‘bout movie theory of something. I’m good up here.” David slides into the front seat, closing the door as Tony crawls into the back of the cab. ‘Like a Virgin’ by Madonna was playing softly on the radio and Tony couldn't help but sing along under his breath. His mom, when Howard was away, would turn the radio on and dance to every Madonna song that played. It was the one time where she could relax and let loose. Tony would sit in the living room with her, waiting for a song to come on so the two of them could dance. 

“Tony, man, you can sing!” Tony’s head snaps up in the direction of Rhodey who was seated next to him. Their eyes meet and Tony noticed how his eyes seemed to glow in the passing streetlights. “You never told me you could!” 

“I only sing in the shower, sour patch. Plus, we’ve only known each other for a few weeks - I can’t be sharing all of my secrets now, can I?” Tony tilts his head at Rhodey and wrinkles his nose, feigning disgust. Rhodey rolls his eyes, trying to hold back his smile. 

 

“Well, you’re really good. You should sing more.” Rhodey mutters under his breath before immediately turning to Adam to ask him a question. David and the middle-aged cab driver were in a quick-fire conversation after the cab driver figured out David was from Alabama. Left alone to his thoughts, Tony rested his head onto the window and stared out at the passing cars and people. 

Had you told Tony two years ago that he had gotten into MIT, he would have believed you. But if you had told him that he would have gotten to know Rhodey and his family and that he would have met Adam and David, he would have called you a liar. He blinks his eyes quickly, trying to force back the tears that were beginning to show. He had never had this before; a group of friends to go to the movies with, to hang out with, a group of friends who liked him for him and not for his money. 

The car slows to a stop and Tony sits up, stretching his arms out slightly as Adam pays for the fare. He opens the door and steps out, waiting for the three other boys to exit before beginning the walk to their dorm. Though it was late, plenty of freshmen were still out on the school grounds, many drunk out of their minds, though a few were still moving their things inside. Tony wraps his arms around himself as the wind picks up and he practically dies from embarrassment when Rhodey takes off his jacket to hand to him. 

“No, I’m oka-”

“Take it, Tony. I don’t want you getting sick.” 

“Aw,” David wraps his arm around Rhodey and Tony, squeezing their shoulders into him. “Mama-Bear Rhodes - makes me miss my mom back home.” Tony snatches the jacket and slips it on, letting out a laugh as he sees his hands disappear.

“Rhodey, I think you’re a little bigger than me,” Tony says, holding out his sleeves. The three men laugh and Tony smiles, even when they begin to tease him for it. Had it been Tony from three weeks ago, he would have run for the hills, begging to go home. He’s changed now, though - something about Rhodey and his kind smile and his bright eyes and his confidence was intoxicating and Tony knew that he could do anything as long as Rhodey was there with him. 

Tony catches a glimpse of David’s smile as they reach their dorm room and his heart flutters. 

Having David around wouldn’t hurt, either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone; sorry about the (almost four months) late update. My laptop broke and I hadn't been able to afford to get it fixed until now. Updates will still be a little sporadic, but hopefully, I'll be able to update this, and my other stories, more often. 
> 
> Thanks for all the kudos and comments - I really appreciate it! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> part one of the freshman orientation chapter :)

Tony felt a push on his foot. He lets out a small groan, curling up under the covers, hoping to get away from Rhodey. Another hit, a little harder this time, and he was up. He sat up slowly, his hands rubbing hard circles on his eyes, trying to wake himself up without blinding himself from the light of the room. He lets his hands fall onto his leg, squinting up at Rhodey. 

 

“Where we going?” He asks groggily, his voice thick with sleep. Rhodey was dressed in a pair of corduroy pants, a blue button up, and a black jacket. He was hunting through the closet on his hands and knees, throwing things out behind him. Tony can hear him muttering, though he can’t catch any words, and he flops back down onto the bed. 

 

“Get the hell up! It’s freshman orientation, remember?” 

 

“Shit, that’s today?”

 

“Yeah, it is, and watch your mouth.” 

 

Tony sits back up quickly, checking his alarm clock to see it reading ‘7:03’ in red. He rushes over blindly to his desk, tripping over a few pairs of shoes Rhodey had discarded onto the middle of the floor. Tony bites his tongue and decides against saying anything to Rhodey because he could tell he was stressed beyond belief. Luckily, Tony knew how awful of a morning person he was, so he had laid out his clothes the night before, not without a few teasing words from Rhodey. 

 

Tony strips himself out of his shirt, slipping into his white button up, throwing a glance at Rhodey who was currently halfway into the closet. 

 

“What are you looking for, sour patch?”

 

“My damn shoes… I have no idea where they are. We have to meet David and Adam at 7:30.” 

 

“You could have avoided this if you had done the ‘baby shit’ I do,” Tony grins as Rhodey flips him off. “And if you’re looking for your black ones, they’re under your bed. Oh, and watch your mouth.” Rhodey pulls himself out of the closet quickly, shoving his hand under his bed and whooping in triumph as he pulls the pair of shoes out. He unlaces them and begins slipping them on as Tony takes off his pants, putting on some black slacks his mother had bought him before he had left. He slips on his shoes just as a knock came from the door. He opens it quickly and comes face to chest with David. He gives Tony a toothy grin, his arm resting on the doorframe. 

 

“Y’all ‘bout ready to go? Adam is about to blow a gasket.”

 

“I am not!” Adam mutters from behind David where he stood, arms crossed. 

 

“Yeah, I just have to put my contacts in and we can head on out.” Tony moves away from the door, letting the two boys walk in and sit down on his bed. Rhodey was still sitting on the floor, one leg outstretched and the other lifted up. He greets the two men as Tony begins searching for the contact case and immediately begins berating himself. He had contacts you could wear for a few days, and Tony had forgotten his case at some diner he and Rhodey’s family had gone to. He grabs his glasses and slips them on, turning back to the guys. Rhodey stands up and grins at Tony, flinging his arm over his shoulder. 

 

“Nice look, Dr. Egon Spengler.” The four guys leave the dorm room, standing in the bustling hallway as Rhodey locked the door. 

 

“Shove off. I lost my contacts case.”

 

“Wait; who’s Dr. Egon Spengler?” David asks, his brows furrowed in confusion. Adam sighs loudly, rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance which pushed his glasses up almost comically, and David responds with a smile. 

 

“You’ve never seen Ghostbusters, man?” Rhodey asks, swinging his key ring on his finger. David shrugs eliciting another groan from Adam. “Whatever you do, don’t tell Mr. Cinephile over here that you haven’t seen Breakfast Club.” 

 

Adams' head turns quickly, his eyes nearly bugging out of his head, his glasses enlarging them even more. 

 

“He’s joking! Of course, I’ve seen it, dipshit!” Eventually, the four kids make it down to the open campus and Tony instantly got overwhelmed. There were hundreds of booths and hundreds of thousands of children milling around. On the grass were kids eating, relaxing, even some playing frisbee while the concrete area was packed with booths like photography club, sailing club, and even a coding club. And it was loud. Imagine thousands of annoying gerbils screeching in their cages at 3 am, and then multiply it by 10; that’s the volume level.

 

Tony stuck close to the boys, Rhodey specifically, as they made their way through the group. He had to fight the urge to grab ahold of Rhodey’s jacket like a child would. Eventually, Adam stops in front of a booth with a large sign attached to the front of it. A girl smiles at him and folds her hands over the table as he begins asking questions about the club and Tony could see his face getting red the longer he talked. She answered every question nicely and she turned towards the rest of them. 

 

“Do any of you guys want to join too?” 

 

“Tony, you should. It’d give us a chance to see movies without blabbermouth over here.” Tony laughs, nodding his head, moving closer towards the booth and grabbing the pen out of the girl's hand. He scrawled his name messily in the line under Adams and as he tried to give the pen back to the girl, David snatched it from him, sliding the paper to him and signing it too. 

 

“See, Adam, if you hadn’t been mean, I wouldn’t have signed up. Now, I’m going to every meeting.” Tony glances at Rhodey who was staring at him. 

  
“Sour patch; join the festivities. Won’t be as fun without you.” Tony says and for a split second, he thinks he sees Rhodey blush. He quickly takes the pen from David, who was still bickering with Adam over joining the club and wrote his name, handing the pen back over to the girl. 

 

“When your friend is done fighting, tell the one with the glasses he’s cute and that this is my number.” She says to Tony, handing him a slip of paper. He nods, smiling at her before he and Rhodey grabbed the two by the shoulders and began pushing them away. Adam turns his head back towards the girl and sends a wave her way. 

 

“I don’t know how you do it man, but you got her number. Names Dawn.” Rhodey says as I hand Adam the slip of paper. He grins largely, his cheeks tinged pink as he slips it into his jacket pocket. 

 

“Speaking of numbers, you ever talk to that girl from the movie theater Rhodey?” David asks and Tony instantly frowns. Rhodey had called her as soon as they got back to their dorm and had an hour-long conversation with her about nothing. Towards the end, Tony had his pillow over his head and was slightly hitting himself with it in an attempt to get Rhodey to hang the damn thing up.

 

“Yeah, I did. We talked for a bit, she’s real nice.” He replies, trying to end the conversation.

 

“Well, are y’all gonna see each other? Go for a bit of a date?” David prys and Rhodey rolls his eyes slightly. They were almost at the end of the first row of booths and nothing had caught Tony’s eye just yet, but if this was going to be the topic of the conversation he was considering just joining whatever group made eye contact with him first.

 

“Maybe; we haven’t really discussed it. ‘Supposed to call later tonight.” Rhodey says and as David opens his mouth to respond, Tony sees a beacon of hope; Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Tony immediately diverges from the group, to which only Adam notices and follows. There was a lone man, around the age of 22, sitting behind the blue booth. His feet were kicked up and he was reading some book, not noticing Tony or Adam standing in front of him until Adam cleared his throat. 

 

The man looked startled but folded the corner of the page in and looked up at the two. “Can I help you guys? You interested in joining?” Tony nods and the man grins. “Great! Well, I’m Joshua and I’m a junior here. I run the club with the help of Professor Beck! Right now there are 12 people in the club, but 5 others have signed up. You interested in Electrical Engineering?”

 

“Yeah, I plan on majoring in it. How often do you guys meet?” Tony realizes he had forgotten to ask Dawn back at the movie booth. 

 

“Once a week, normally Mondays at 6, though we sometimes change it based on everyone’s schedule. Have you gotten yours yet?” Tony shakes his head and the guy nods, sitting back in his chair. “Well, definitely make sure to do that today! It is packed like hell up there. Here, you probably need a pen, right?” Joshua pats his jeans pocket and pulls out a blue pen, which Tony uses to sign his name and his email address. He hands the pen back to Joshua who looks over at Adam expectantly. 

 

“Oh, no, I’m not signing up. I’m not smart enough for that.” 

 

“You got into MIT, I’m sure you are,” Joshua replies back smoothly. Tony raises an eyebrow and bites his lip to hold back a smile as Adam sheepishly signs his name. “Great! See you guys at the first meeting next week!”

 

Tony breaks out into a large smile, snickering at Adam as they make their way over to the fountain where they saw Rhodey and David talking heatedly. “Nice backbone, Adam.”

 

“Oh, shut it. I’m not going to that shitty meeting,” Tony nods, continuing to laugh much to Adams annoyance. “Besides, that guy was weird. Way too friendly.”   
  


Rhodey and David stop talking as soon as they notice Adam and Tony, which Tony found strange. Normally they would ignore the two of them until they had beat the conversation dead. David folded his arms over his chest, nodding his head at Tony. 

 

“You find a club?” Tony nods, pointing behind him at the booth where Joshua had resumed reading. “That’s good. Rhodey here found one, the Air Force.” David said the comment with a surprising amount of rage. Normally, David’s voice was low and soft, but this time Tony almost flinched from the anger that came from it. Rhodey rolled his eyes, clenching his jaw. Tony assumed that they had been fighting about that before he had reached them. 

 

Trying to avoid an argument, Tony decides to distract them with something that always works: food. “Okay, so we all still have to get our schedules. Wanna grab a bite before we head on over there?” 

 

After some arguing on where to eat, the four of them decided on the burger shop right down the road. Adam had gone there when his family had dropped him off and he loved it. “Nearly gorged myself to death. Would have been worth it, though.” 


End file.
